Now more than ever we must be careful who is teaching our children and working in their schools. Department of Education statistics estimate that 5 million students are currently being sexually harassed, manipulated, and abused in America’s public school system. That translates to over 10 percent of K-12 students.
A University Degree Is No Protection.
A college or university degree does not mean that a person is not capable of physically abusing or sexually molesting a child. Case in point, in an article written by Carrie Jung for WBUR.com (May 03, 2022), Ms. Jung reported that Larry Chen, a former Brookline middle school teacher, was arrested and charged in April 2022 with 18 counts each of statutory rape of a child, and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. The community was left reeling and in shock because Chen was well liked by students and parents.
Everyone Should Be Checked.
Indeed, anyone who works in a school, from maintenance and cafeteria staff to teachers, assistants, and even principals, should have their background checked in order to keep our children safe.
To that, we can add those who work (or volunteer) at non-school, after-school, or Saturday programs like gymnastics or dance classes, as well as Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy and Girl Scouts, and childcare programs, all of which become much busier with the start of school.
But What Kind of Employee Screening Does This Involve?
We recommend a thorough employee background check that includes the following:
- Misdemeanor and felony criminal record searches at county/state/national levels
- Jurisdictional (state, tribes, territories, the District of Columbia) and national public
- State child abuse and neglect central registries
- Written applications and interviews
- Personal/professional reference checks
- Social Security number traces and validations
- Employment and/or education verifications
- Professional license verifications
- Credit reports, civil records, driver’s license, and motor vehicle record checks
- Driver’s record check (for employees who would be driving/transporting children)
- Military records verifications
- Workers’ compensation history searches
- Healthcare sanction checks
- Address history checks
Additionally, for schools or any establishments that work with children, we recommend:
- A child protection policy
- Minimizing opportunity by limiting isolated one-on-one situations
- Training and continued learning for employees and volunteers on child sexual abuse prevention and child abuse reporting
Why Choose The Hire Authority for Your Employee Background Screening?
When hiring new school employees or doing periodic employee background checks on existing employees, it’s important to hire an experienced and professional firm like The Hire Authority to do a thorough screening. Besides the protection of children, this will also help protect your organization from hiring the wrong employee, which can cost you a lot of money in the form of theft, fraud, accidents, low productivity, damage to your reputation, and even lawsuits.
Importantly, The Hire Authority is expert in complex compliance issues regarding state, federal, and county laws. Failure to comply can cost you big in the form of fines and even shutdown.
We’d be happy to talk to you about screening your employees. Call us at (508) 230-5901 or visit our website www.hireauth.com with any questions you may have.
The foregoing should not be construed as legal advice. Employers should always consult their own legal counsel for advice on labor and employment matters.